LUKAKU LEFT ON THE SHELF

Chelsea’s strength keeps striker on bench

ONE month without striker Romelu Lukaku has failed to diminish Chelsea’s goal power or damage their serene progress.

eighteen goals in six-and-ahalf games since Lukaku and Timo Werner were both injured against Malmo has merely served to emphasise head coach Thomas Tuchel’s embarrassment of attacking riches.

It also helps explain why the club’s record signing will not be rushed back to face Juventus in the Champions League, two days after returning to full training.

Tuchel said he plans to start with Lukaku on the bench tonight as long as his ankle suffered no adverse reaction to training. The £97.5million Belgian might be able to come on towards the end of the game if necessary.

‘That would be the maximum we could get out of the situation right now,’ said the Blues boss.

Lukaku is another handy option to have for a tie that the european champions must win if they are to win Group H and be seeded for the last-16 draw, playing the second leg at home.

Kai Havertz is a doubt but speed merchants Werner and Christian Pulisic are back from injuries.

‘It’s on the players when they are needed and have the chance to show their potential,’ added Tuchel. ‘They have to show it. They need to be ready. That’s life at Chelsea. This is what they do in a very impressive way.

‘When we have Romelu, we play with Romelu. When we have Timo, we play with Timo. When they’re unavailable, we try and find solutions. We have a big squad and trust everybody.’

Lukaku scored 64 goals in 95 appearances for Inter Milan but his record of one goal in seven against Juventus became the subject of scrutiny in the Italian media after the Blues lost 1-0 in Turin in September.

Tottenham boss Antonio Conte, Lukaku’s manager at Inter and then working as a TV pundit, said Chelsea had yet to figure out the best way to use him.

Perhaps there would be more temptation to rush him back if he had a psychological hold over the Old Lady, but Juve boss Max Allegri hinted that Chelsea might be harder to stop in his absence.

‘Lukaku is a reference point,’ he said. ‘They gain speed without him, defend differently and do more counter-attacks.’

Juventus, eighth in Serie A, have been faultless in europe and are already into the last 16. One point will be enough to win the group.

Tuchel would prefer to finish top but a draw tonight guarantees progress with a game to spare as runners-up, and a chance to give players a break from the hectic schedule against Zenit St Petersburg next month.

‘We try to win,’ said Tuchel. ‘Late in the game, if it is a draw, we will maybe not allow (goalkeeper) edou Mendy to leave his box if we have a corner because we will not risk our qualification.

‘But until this moment we will try everything to win.’